The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-08
EARLY UNIVERsALIsM IN ILLINOIS.

Rev. T. H. Tabor, the editor of Man
tord's Magazine, of this city, during the
closing hours of the Peoria Convention,
spoke feelingly and affectionately in re-
gard to the early days of our cause in
this State, and especially of the organ
ization of the present State Convention,
and the early and now sainted pioneers,
lay and clerical, who have been identi-
fed with our church in Illinois. Br.
Tabor is always at home in this field.
He has known many of these old-time
preachers and preachers friends, and
has cleaned many facts from long for
gotten records, with all the zeal of an
antiquarian, quickened by an interest
in our church, which has never failed.
He has in manuscript valuable his
tory of Universalism in Illinois, on
which he has spent years of patient
labor, which, when published, will prove
a mine of information in regard to the
history and progress of our church in
this State, for the last half century.
We trust the volume may be published
during the present year, when the de-
nomination enters on its second half
century of organized State effort for
the PRONUNCIATION of the gospel of
worlds salvation.
Mr.. Tabor has kindly placed the
notes from which he made his address
at Peoria, at the service of THE UNI
vERsALIsT. This enables us to give
some of the interesting facts and figures
which he then presented. He remarked
that the Convention was organized in
Canton, ILL.,, Nov. l, 1887. Three Uni
versalist ministers assisted in it's organ
ization. One of them, Rev. E. B. Mann,
resided in Indiana at the time. Thirty
one persons, all men, signed the consti-
tuition adopted. The first Universalist
sermon preached in the State, so far as
can be ascertained, was preached by
Rev. George Wolf, of the Dunkard
church, in 1924. He continued to be-
lieve and preach universal salvation,
and died in the faith Nov. l6, 1865, at
the ripe age of eighty-one years, six
months and one day.
At the time of the organization of
the Illinois State Convention, there
were three Universalist ministers re-
siding in the State. Rev. A. r. Gard
ner, at Henderson; Rev. J. p. Fuller at
Peoria, and Rev. A. Kinney, at Joliet,
but the last named was not present at
the meeting that organized the Conven-
ton. The completion of this organiZa-
ton was source of great joy to the
scattered believers in our most holy
faith. Since that day, thirty-seven Uni
versalist ministers, and men who had
filled the holy Office of an ambassador
for Christ, have died in the State of Illi-
nois alone, and Mr.. Tabor has their
names.
The first Universalist Society was
organized in Chicago in 1886; the first
church in Rockford in 1S41; the first
church building was dedicated at st.
Charles in 1912; the first religious pa
per published in the State of Illinois,
was the Better Covenant, our Univer-
salist paper, published weekly at Rock
ford and st. Charles, by Revs. Seth
Barnes and W. r. Townsville. Much
has since been done, and there is still
much to do for the cause of truth and
righteousness. lift up your eyes and
see, the fields are all white and ready
for the harvest, and he that reapeth
receiveth wages"
Mr.. Tabor also stated that Home
Missionary Society was organized at
the annual session of the State Conven-
ton, June Is, 1S49. Br. d. Blakeley
of Peoria, was President; Rev. j. NJ. Day
(now of Sterling, COLI was Secretary,
and Rev. A. R. Gardner, Treasurer.
Rev. Mr.. Libby was employed as mis-
sionary in September following. The
notice appeared in the Ne,o Covenant
of Sept. %, 1919. The first number of
that paper was published March, 1913.
May IL, 1888, the Convention met at
Henderson, and twenty-five new men,
bers were received; twelve of these
were women. Mr.. Tabor made stir
ring appeal to Universalists of this gen
Grafton to honor the memory of the old
pioneers, and especially to initiate their
zeal and sacrifice in behalf of the faith.
Br. W. F. Crispin, of Akron, o., who
has preached more or less since 1870 al a
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